Those Old Bones? It Really Is A Brontosaurus

In 1903, scientists determined that the Brontosaurus was actually not a separate genus, but simply a larger version of the Apatosaurus, and the name fell out of use until earlier this month, when a study concluded the dinosaurs were two "different branches" of the same familial tree.

Brontosaurus is back and scientists at Yale are really excited about it

The Brontosaurus is back.

No, the dinosaur itself has not been resurrected, but the name has, and scientists at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History are thrilled.

"We're very excited about the prospect that Brontosaurus is back," said Dr. Jacques Gauthier, curator of vertebrate paleontology for the museum.

The museum is home to the original Brontosaurus, named by Othniel Charles Marsh, professor of paleontology at Yale, in 1879, according to a museum spokesperson. Marsh determined that the 70-foot fossilized bones belonged to a new genus of dinosaur, related to the previously discovered Apatosaurus.

He named the new genus Brontosaurus, which means "thunder lizard," Gauthier said.

In 1903, scientists determined that the Brontosaurus was actually not a separate genus, but simply a larger version of the Apatosaurus, and the name fell out of use. That is until earlier this month, when a study published by a team of European paleontologists confirmed what Marsh originally hypothesized: the dinosaurs were two "different branches" of the same familial tree, Gauthier said.

"We're scientists … that means that sometimes we have to change our minds," he said.

The Peabody held a re-naming ceremony for the original skeleton, which is still on display in the museum's Great Hall, on Tuesday afternoon.

"It's fun. It's a great animal," Gauthier said of the dinosaur, which would have "weighed as much as a herd of elephants."

The Peabody's skeleton is one of the most complete specimens of this family of dinosaurs, known as Diplodocidae, Gauthier said. He said he hopes the new, old name will renew interest in the dinosaur and open up research opportunities.